WICKED BEAT

WICKED BEAT
Mini album by B'z
Released	June 21, 1990
Genre	Dance rock
Length	22:30
Label	BMG Victor
Producer	Masao Nakashima
B'z chronology

WICKED BEAT is the second mini album by B'z, released on June 21, 1990. This would be the first album release of any kind to be published by the band's then newest label, BMG ROOMS—a joint venture between BMG Japan and Being. The move had been a reprieve for the band that wished to have more control over their output and the rights to their master recordings. Now, they would be under the management of their mentor Daiko Nagato, the man responsible for introducing them originally. Interestingly, the album contains no outright new songs, instead opting to re-arrange and re-record English versions of four previously released Japanese songs.

Initially, B'z intended to release WICKED BEAT as a limited edition to bridge the gap between BREAK THROUGH and RISKY, both released the same year. Along with five singles including their first number one hit "Taiyou no Komachi Angel", it would be the busiest year in their history. Just before it was to be published on a limited basis, it was decided the mini album was capable of capturing enough interest that it should be a general release and would prove their highest-selling release to that point.

The album has no space between tracks, allowing the songs to flow into one another. Later, with the move to digital platforms, an iTunes version was prepared that saw the tracks be remastered. The connective tissue between the songs was altered for these versions, however.

At the time of its release, WICKED BEAT sold 101,250 copies in its first week, giving it a third place finish on the Weekly Oricon Album chart. As with all other B'z mini albums released to date, WICKED BEAT has been certified Million by the Recording Industry Association of Japan for sales in excess of 1,182,010 physical copies sold.

Track listing

All music and guitar by Tak Matsumoto. All lyrics and lead vocals by Koshi Inaba.

I Wanna Dance Wicked Beat Style
File:m02 01.ogg .
Komachi-Angel Red Hot Style
File:m02 02.ogg The "Red Hot" in the title is a reference to the American rock band the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Nineteen years later, the band's famed drummer Chad Smith would join B'z to record their single "Ichibu to Zenbu/DIVE" and the year's studio album MAGIC. Notably, while this version has never been played live, the arrangement utilized here was transplanted onto the Japanese version performed as part of B'z LIVE-GYM "Pleasure'91".
Bad Communication E.Style
File:m02 03.ogg When the English version began to take prominence in the Japanese music scene, it was so successful that it was listed as a Western song in one instance.
Lady-Go-Round "W-40" Style
File:m02 04.ogg .